Keyed zither.



H. C. MARX.

KEYED ZITHER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.28. 1913. RENEWED FEB. 10,1915.

1, 1 50,284. Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

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4'-% @law The strikers have spring shanks HENRY c. MARX, OFPALMER, KANSAS,

ASSIGNOR TO THE PHONOHARP COMPANY,

OF EAST BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF KEYED ZITHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

- Application filed August 28, 1913, Serial No. 787,156. Renewed February 10, 1915. Serial No. 7,328.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY C. MARX, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Palmer, in the county of Washington and State. of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Keyed Zithers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to musical instruments such as citherns.

The invention is embodied in means including 'a series of manually operative strikers ment may be struck and caused to vibrate. whereby they are capable of vibrating and striking the strings repeatedly to produce the effect .of. a: mandolin. In this respect, the instrument is similar to that set forth in Letters PatentNo. 1,044,553, granted to me'November 19,1912.v

The present invention embodies improved mounting the strikers.

stringed musical instrument, showing one form ofimeans for mounting the strikers.

Fig. :21 represents a 1' horizontal section through: the structure intersected by line I 2-2 ofFig'l. Fig.3 represents a section similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified form of means'for mounting the strikers. Fig. 4 represents-an elevation of the supporting means "included in Fig. 3. Fig. 5represents a vertical section in the plane indicated by line 55 of Fig. 4.

The same reference characters indicate the same :parts in all the, figures.

The base of the musical instrument is indicated at 10 and the sounding board is indicated at 11. These two elements are afiixed toa hitch pin block 12'which is at'the front of the instrument and which is provided with pins..13 by'which the strings l4'are anchored. I

The instrument is provided with a series of strikers 15, eachof which is affixed to the free end of a flexible spring. shank 16. The

shanks are aflixed to stiff or non-resilient keys or finger pieces 17which-are adapted to be depressed manually to cause the strikers to impinge against the strings 14.

According to the form illustrated. by Figs. 1 and'2, the finger piecesl'? rock upon an edge 18 ofa supporting cross bar 1.9, which serves as apivot for said finger pieces. This cross .the pin block 12 by whereby the strings of the instrubar or support for the keys extends transverselywith relation to the strings 14 and is supported by abar 20, being detachably affixed to the bar 20 by any suitable 'means such as screws 21. The bar 20 is aflixed to screws 22, and is spaced from the pin block by interposed filling pieces such as that indicated at 23, whereby it is held away from the pins 13. The bar 19 is grooved at intervals corresponding to the spacing of the strings 14 to provide recesses 34 for the finger pieces 17.

Two arms 24, one at each end of the series of finger pieces 17, support a. rest 25 above thestrikers. The function of the rest 25 is to arrest the vibration of the strikers when the finger pieces are released, the'strikers being automatically elevated so that they initially bear against the under surface of therest. In the form shown by Figs. 1 and 2, the strikers 17 and the arms 24 are held in their respective recesses in the bar 19 by a strip 26 of elastic material, the upper sides of the elements 17 and 24 being provided with transverse grooves 35 for the reception of the strip 26. The strip 26 is secured between each two adjacent rocking elements by fasteners indicated at 27, the strip 26 being under tension, whereby it is adapted to act as a spring to normally hold the strikers against the rest 25 as shown. The ends of the strip 26 are likewise securedto the bar 19 in order to normally support the rest 25 in theelevated position shown. The elasticity of the strip 26 permits the finger pieces 17 to swing downwardly to cause the strikers 15 to impinge against the strings l4.

-Fig. 1 shows one of'the finger pieces depressed, and includes dotted lines indicating the striker and its flexible springy shank at the two extremes of its vibratory movement. In order to cause the desired vibration of the strikers, it is necessary to provide a stop for the finger pieces 17 when they are rocked about their pivot or fulcrum. Such a stop is indicated at 28 in the form of a cross bar or flange extending horizontally from the front bar 20, the flange overhanging all of the finger pieces 17 and the arms 24. When the finger piece is depressed, its forward end strikes the cross bar or flange 28 before the striker 15 engages the string 14, the striker thereafter coacting with the strings by vibration. When the finger piece is released, the spring element 26 raises the striker into are provided with grooves which which it may engagement with the rest 25 and the opposite end of the key engages the bottom of the recess 34 as shown in Fig. 1. The'rest and all of the strikers may be depressed for the purpose of storing or packing the instrument. The strikers may be readily detached from their support by longitudinal movement after first lifting the elastic strip 26 out of the notches formed in the finger pieces. Lateral movement of the strikers is prevented by partitions29' which separate the finger pieces, and the desiredvregisterof the strikers with their respective strings 14 is insured.

In the form shown by Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the

finger pieces 17 are mounted upon a fulcrum which consists of a wire or rod. The strikers carried thereby are normally raised by springs 31. The finger .pieces and theoverhanging flange or stopQB -are provided with sockets for the ends of the springs. .The flange 28 is provided with depending :partitions 32 which register with upstanding partitions 33 formed'on the bar 19. The confronting facesof the partitions 32 and 33 register with each other and receive the .fulcrum wire or rod30. So far as-the'pivotalor-rocking movement of-the finger pieces or keys is concerned, the rod or wire 30 ,andthe 1edgc18 of thebar orsupport 19 perform :the'same function, 21-0. that of serving asa pivotor fulcrum for :the keys. In this sense, the keys in Fig. 1 may be fairly described as pivotally mounted. Further, in Fig. 1, the bar 19, having the edge 18, and the elastic member 26,, which holds the keys thereon, may fairly bedescribeda'smeans for pivotally mounting said keys to permit each to be removed separately. 1

Having thus explained vthe nature of my said invention and described a way of constructing and using the same, although'without attemptingstoset forth all the .forms in be made or all the modesof its use, what I claim .is:

1. The combination with a stringed musical instrument, of=a support affixed thereto,-a stiff key fulcrumed'between-its ends on said support, a hammer having a (spring shank carried by one end ofsaid key and having its head remote fIOIIlcthGCOIl'BSPOIIdirrg string, a stop arranged bvthe otherend of said key tolim'it the-opcrating movement of saidkey in consequence of which the hammer is-caused to vibrate against its corresponding string, and a spring acting upon said .key to retract said hammer from said stop and to move the hammer from string-engaging position.

2. The combination with a stringed musical instrument having a series of strings, of a series of stiff keys, a support for-said keys, said support having partitions for spacing said ikeys. laterally, said keys being thereon, a spring end of said key for vibrating against transverse groove and to be engaged stifi keys loosely -resting :onsaidcross bar and adapted therefrom without removing the 'otluut, 'meansextending across said keysfor hnidkey being removable therefrom :indopend- 1' said support, each of said keys having;

one end a spring hammer :for strikmg a musical string,a fixed sto arra 1to=be engaged by the other en of eac key to limit the operating movement of .the key, and a strip of elastic material under tension extending across and acting upon said .35 keys to retract said keys, said strip being secured to said support at both sides ofeach Z. The combination with a musica'l instrument, of a support, a stiff $0 fulcrumed between its en s 01188-111 support, a spring hammer carried byione end of said. key for striking a string, a stop above the other rend of said key mad I ranged to be engaged by said other end to 65 limit the voperating.movemerrt of said key, and a spring member-engagedwith said support and ."acting upon said key to retract said hammer from itsstring whenjhedmy is released.

5. The combination with a stringed inn- .sical instrument, 10f a key, a support therefor, said key beingfulcrumed between is ends upon'saidsupportand adapted to red]: hammer carried mm ll string a stop arranged to be engaged by said key to limit theoperatingmovemerit-of the key, and an elastic member fastened to said support at both sides of said key and acting'upon'saidkey to retract said'hannner from striking position, said key a said strip being arranged in said groove, whereby said key .is detachably held against accidental longitudinal 'movement, but idetachable longitudinally by iforce.

-6. The combination withra stringed nmsical instrument, of a cross bar, aseriesiof to be individually separated ingzthem onsaidcross bar, and spring hnnimers projecting from the free ends ofrsaifl keys.

'7. The combination with a musical instrument, of acres bar aseiiim of stiff keys resting upon said .cross .:bar, ieadh ently of the others, spring hammers projecting from the keys at one end thereof, and a hand rest located over the other ends of the keys.

8. The-combination with a stringed musical instrument, of a series of still keys above the strings, means for pivotally mounting said keys to permit each to be removed separately, and spring hammers projecting from said keys.

9; The combination with a stringed musical instrument, of a bar arranged across the strings, a series of spring hammers, a series of stiff keys therefor fulcrumed on said bar and independently removable therefrom, means located above said bar normally to hold said keys against removal from said bar, but movable to allow said keys to be removed separately, and a stop for engaging said keys when they are operated in consequence of which the spring hammers are caused to vibrate against the strings.

10. The combination with a stringed musical instrument, of a bar extending transversely of the strings, a series of stiff keys mounted on said bar between theirends and individually removable independently of the others, a spring hammer projecting from one end of each key, and a second cross bar above the opposite ends of said keys, said bars forming stops to engage the said oppo site ends of the keys and limit the oscillation thereof.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY O. MARX.

Witnesses:

MARCUS B. MAY, A. L. FOLSOM.

Gopies'of this patent may be obtained for flve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

